Monday, February 16, 2009

Just when you thought you knew me......

K, maybe not you specifically, but there is AT LEAST one person reading this who will be shocked at who I have become.

See, I was always a girl of convenience. Still am in many ways. Remember, one of the things that excites me about Freecycle is that someone will come TO me and take my junk away. I'm all about gift bags so I don't have to wrap, soda cans so I don't have to do ice and glasses, paper plates for parties so I don't have to do dishes, etc. I absolutely can be a spoiled princess.

But I have come to realize, especially since having kids, that in general the things that I take for granted, the things that make my life simple, do not come without sacrifice and not just my sacrifice. The earth is paying for my disposable diapers, my water bottles and occasional Styrofoam cup. My skin might well be paying for the harsh chemicals in soaps and detergents.

Now before your eyes glaze over thinking I might be another suburban woman jumping on the green bandwagon, let me assure you that is not entirely the case. I have looked into vericomposting (worms) and it's not for us at this point. I won't be biking to the store any time soon. But we do recycle. We do carpool. And now I make my own laundry detergent.

That's right. I made my own laundry detergent. Did it for the first time this weekend. I've been thinking about it for a while, saying I was going to do it and then not doing it. I went out and bought the ingredients on Friday and on Saturday I made it.

What is the point of that, you ask. Well, a few things. One, we all get the winter itchies in this house. The cold air does a number on our skin and I wondered if a less chemical laden detergent would change that. Two, it's darn cheap. Pennies a load, really. And three, it's kind of fun.

But the best part? It really wasn't the least bit inconvenient. It took me maybe 15 minutes to grate the soap and measure everything out. The kids helped me mix it all together, which was nice as that made it fun family time.

I cannot yet vouch for it's effect on the family itchy issues, but it's done a great job on the loads I have washed so far. I think my towels are softer, my whites a bit whiter. The stuff is as clean as it ever was with Tide. And I feel like a good Mommy.

Plus it's way fun to see the shock on people's faces when I tell them that I, of all people, make my own laundry detergent.

DEAL OF THE DAY!!!

CONTACT ME!!!!

Have a question? Did you do your own version of one of my ideas and want to tell me about it? Drop me an email!
mom3girlsand1boy@gmail.com

Recipe of the Whenever I Get Around to Changing It.

Crockpot Tapioca Pudding (by request)

Ingredients:

2 quarts of 1% milk (half-gallon)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup small pearl tapioca (The only place I found it was Raley's)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In a four quart or larger size crockpot, combine the milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You are looking for the tapioca to be soft and kind of slimy. The mixture will not be very thick, but that's how it's supposed to be. Even if it is thick, that's ok too.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs with the vanilla. Take a 1/2 cup of the hot milk and tapioca mixture and whisk it into the egg bowl. Add another 1/2 cup of the hot milk and tapioca, and whisk that into the eggs, too. Then add yet another. Now you'll have a bowl of yellowy tapioca/egg mix.

Pour the contents of the egg/tapioca mix into the crockpot, and whisk until it is all well mixed.

Cover your crockpot and cook on high for another 30-45 minutes, or until the tapioca is pudding-like in consistency. Unplug and let it sit for about an hour to cool.

Ladle into serving-size bowls and chill in the refrigerator.

Or eat it hot hot hot right out of your crockpot. That's how we do it. So yummy on rainy Fall and Winter days.